Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Politics, Pastors and Poofery

It's like turning on a light in a cockroach-infested kitchen or lighting a fire in a house where bats are in the attic. Everything's coming out of the woodwork in droves.

First, former British prime minister and newly-minted Catholic Tony Blair says the pope needs to change his mind. On what, you might ask? What else? Homosexuality. The pope has it wrong, you see. He ought to embrace it, not oppose it. And we all -- evangelicals and traditional Catholics combined -- need to change how we view the Bible. It's all allegorical, metaphorical, or some other oricle, but not to be interpreted literally.

Oh, really? I am not Catholic, but I have some advice for the pope. Obviously, ignore Mr. Blair's advice. But the second is to order him to repent on pain of excommunication.

As for me -- an evangelical -- Tony Blair doesn't dictate church doctrine. God does, through Scripture. And Scripture isn't interpreted through tea leaves, symbolism, visions seen under the influence of peyote buttons, fantasy, or anything else Tony wants to pick off of a bush. The Bible is clear on this issue. The fact is that Tony Blair and people like him really don't care what Scripture has to say. Despite the publicity over these politicians and their "conversions," the fact of the matter is that they are not Christians. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. Tony Blair needs to repent. Now.

Now, we turn our attention to Saddleback Church (and ostensibly Baptist) pastor Rick Warren, who has generated some heat by his rather squishy statements on homosexuality on Larry King Live. WorldNetDaily founder Joseph Farah addressed Warren's statements in a column today, and I concur completely with Farah. Warren ought to be ashamed of himself.

P.S. Okay, so the third term in my title is pejorative. Whatever. I wanted alliteration and I got it. Come to think of it, "pejorative" fits in there too. To put it baldly, I am getting very tired of this issue being debated among people who call themselves Christians. I don't expect non-Christians to act like Christians. But if you wear the label, you'd best act like one and believe like one. And that means taking God at His Word when He says something. You have no right to ignore His commands, no matter how politically and socially unpopular it might be. When He says this type of behavior is an abomination, He means it. And in the end, He will brook no argument on the matter.

3 comments:

Those that want to or who push to keep this debate continuing aren't satisfied with the answers God provided us all through His word. If all (as I do) believed and accepted God's word, there would be no discussion. How anyone can say he/she is a Christian, Christ follower, or whatever, and refuse to be obediant to what His word obiviously says should ask themselves if they really are what they claim to be. That's the bottom line.....

"The pope has it wrong, you see. He ought to embrace it, not oppose it"

An old and sometimes pejorative term for Roman Catholic is appropriate here: papist, ie. a follower of the bishop of Rome. Blair has been one for all of, what?, 15 minutes. Deference to the pope goes with the territory. Don't like it, then don't cross the Tiber.

"But the second is to order him to repent on pain of excommunication. "

They won't. Blair is a celebrity convert right now. The Church of Rome also hasn't shown enough spine to excommunicate our pro-abortion politicians. "Oh, but they've already excommunicated themselves by their actions." Yeah, right, whatever.

Joel Griffith

I have been involved in media since 1978, primarily radio. Full time Christian ministry since 1988, including radio, apologetics, written publications, preaching and teaching. Why do I go by Solameanie online? Long story.
Follow me on Twitter. @solameanie

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